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Intersecciones Hispánicas: Revista de Cultura, Literatura y Lingüística

Abstract

Americans take pride in having popularized the campus novel. Too bad it hap- pened like their demonym, American, which presumes one thing and ignores the rest. In this research, I demonstrate that the campus novel is a limited genre. I also explore why critics and readers alike consider it an American genre, that is one that makes visible only certain kinds of Americans. My focus is on the lack of Hispanic authors and protagonists. Millions of Hispanics teach, study, and work in American (US) universities, yet fiction does not reflect this reality. Having traced its limitations and analyzed the survey results, I propose renaming and redefining the genre. Instead of campus novel I opt for the more comprehensive term, campus fiction. Furthermore, I define the genre the way the Library of Congress defines it, but with a few substantial modifications. My hope is to expand the vision of an American university student, by encouraging the publication of new campus fiction that includes Hispanic protagonists.

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